Department of Medicine - Surgery - University of Minnesota

tional cardiology. Dr. CrispinSemakula, most recently fromSouthside Community Clinicand a former University ofMinnesota Internal MedicineResident and EndocrinologyFellow, joined the Division ofEndocrinology, Metabolismand Diabetes to add neededcapacity in the DiabetesClinic.Other HighlightsIn 2004, a governance taskforce was formed and madespecific recommendations tothe County Board about creatinga new public benefit corporationand a new subsidiaryboard for the hospital. TheHennepin County Board gavefinal approval on December 15,2004, to a resolution askingthe Legislature to create apublic benefit corporationfor HCMC. The Legislature,Governor and County Boardapproved this on 2005, andthe change will occur in January1, 2007. HCMC will remaina public teaching hospital anda major safety net contributorbut will have a new governanceboard focused entirelyon the hospital.SummaryWe look forward to continuedservice to our communitythrough our commitment toexcellence in clinical care,education, scholarly activityand leadership.Dr. Henry (left) discusses a potential candidate for a clinical researchstudy with Dr. Ron Schut, the Director of the HIV Clinic at HCMC.Research Highlight: Keith Henry, M.D. Program include efforts to decreaseDHIV transmission (in conjunctionDr. Keith Henry’s research with the University of Southernfocuses on a wide range of California and the CDC), treatmentissues directly impacting of HIV/hepatitis C co-infectedHIV-infected persons. The persons (Dr. Kay Schwebke) and 29umbrella term “HIV ClinicalHPV/HIV co-infected personsResearch” includes far-rangingtopics such as behaviorial studies(drug adherence and prevention),bone metabolism,fat metabolism, cardiac risks,anal cancer, hepatitis C, viral straindiversity, drug resistance, andassessment of new antiretroviraldrugs and treatment strategies.The centerpiece of his translationalresearch effort is the HIV Clinicat HCMC which is the largest inthe upper Midwest (now servingover 1200 patients). An exampleof a research project completedin 2005 was a study of the viralstrain diversity among African-bornHIV+ patients spearheaded by TracySides of the Minnesota Departmentof Health and Bosola Akinsete, MD,an ID fellow from the Universityof Minnesota (JID 2005; 192:37-45). That study demonstratedthe wide HIV strain variabilitywithin Minnesota and made a strongcase for monitoring HIV subtypesin the US (also discussed in theaccompanying editorial from theCDC- JID 2005; 192: 4-9). Newinitiatives within the HCMC HIV(Dr. Mark Sannes). Researchpartners for active studiesinclude the University of MinnesotaACTU, Abbott-Northwestern,Park Nicollet, and the Mayo Clinic.Due to the remarkable advancesin HIV therapeutics, Dr. Henrypredicts that geriatrics will beone of the next frontiers for HIVclinical research as life expectancycontinues to lengthen.